later the phone rang again.
“Hello, Detective Dunstan. May I help you?”
“Yeah it’s me; now no more funny business. If ya don’t want me help, fine. I’m blowin’ this joint anyway. I just wanted ta set things right, that’s all.”
“Sorry, Joe. How would you like to do this?”
“Well, how does we find out if what I got is worth protection? I ain’t goin’ ta snitch ta have ya nab me!”
“All right, Joe, what have you got for me?”
“If I gives y’all the lowdown on the gang’s activities ya gives me that protection and I don’t goes ta jail. I want ta start a new life in another province.”
“Well, Joe, it would depend on whether your information is valid or not,” Laura said, glancing at the captain.
“I want ta meet ya alone someplace where we are both safe.”
“How about the park, today at noon? I’ll be on the seat at the beginning of the redwood avenue. Is that all right?” Laura’s captain nodded and gave the thumbs up.
“What will ya be wearin’ so I can recognise ya?”
“I’m wearing a dark-blue slacks suit and a firearm on my right hip.”
“I will be watchin’ ya for a bit ta make sure ya ain’t lyin’.”
“You have my word, Joe. There will be no other officers there but me. Do we have a deal?”
“Yeah, we have a deal.” Joe’s voice was flat.
The phone went dead. Laura turned to her captain, who had been listening.
“Right, I want the entire park blanketed with plain clothes police…”
“Hang on, Cap,” Laura tried reasoning. “I told him I would be alone and that’s…”
“I’m not sending you out there with some maniac…” started the captain.
“Maniac? He called us. If he wants to screw his mates over…”
“I don’t care who he wants to screw. I’m not putting one of my officers in deliberate danger.” The captain’s mouth met in a hard line. Laura knew she would have to do some fast talking or he would shut her down.
“Whose case is this?” she argued. “I’ve been hunting these bastards for weeks. I have the opportunity to finally get them and now you shackle me!” Frustration edged her voice. “Have a sharpshooter on the roof of the Venlocks building. He will be in the perfect position to snipe the guy if something goes wrong. I’ll have a wire, so you can hear everything that’s said. Come on, Cap.” The captain looked dubiously at Laura and her team standing nearby. “I don’t want this guy getting away!” Laura argued. The captain finally nodded in the affirmative.
* * *
After giving orders to his gang, Andy headed into the city. He had these recurring images in his mind that he felt compelled to follow and it was unnerving. There was a street name and three numbers; he reasoned the first number was the street address followed by the floor and room numbers. Arriving at the address he entered the building, walked into the lift and pressed the button for the fourth floor. The lift stopped. Andy got out and walked down a corridor looking at office numbers.
Two distinguished-looking gentlemen passed him in a hurry; another man who looked like a cop followed them. He hated cops. He found the office he was looking for and realised it was the same one those three men had hurried into. Andy knocked and walked in. Inside the office a secretary typed behind a desk. She looked up.
“You’re in the wrong office, sir. This is a private meeting.”
“I think I’m supposed ta be here,” Andy answered back.
The secretary spoke into an intercom and then said nothing. The tall fellow that had passed him in the corridor walked into the room. He had to be a copper.
“Can I help you, young man?”
“Yeah, look, this may sound funny, but I think I’m supposed ta be here.”
“This is a private meeting of the board. You have the wrong office. Please move along.”
The feeling inside Andy was growing stronger by the minute. He knew he was in the right place; he just didn’t know how to explain it. The man reached for Andy’s arm to escort him out, but Andy was too quick.
“Keep ya hands ta yourself, copper!” The man’s face registered shock at being called a cop.
“Well, if you know I’m a policeman, then it would be wise of you to move along under your own steam.”
“I don’t think so. We need ta talk first.” Andy was hoping his hunch was right. The copper eyeballed him and then spoke.
“All right, young fellow, speak!” wondering if this was the person Slegna had told him he was sending.
“I woke up with the address of this buildin’, along with the floor and room numbers and a funny-lookin’ number eight in me head.”
“Draw the number.” The officer handed Andy a pen and paper and watched as he drew a number eight sideways, the sign for infinity.
“It goes on forever,” Andy commented.
“What?” exclaimed the officer.
“It goes on forever. It just popped inta me head, like.”
The man indicated that Andy should follow him as he walked back into the room he had just left. Andy entered the office and saw the two other gentlemen who had passed him in the corridor sitting at the board table that was capable of seating twenty people. The side walls of the room were wood panelling and directly opposite were windows that went from floor to ceiling. Closing the door behind him he walked to the table. The other men viewed him suspiciously. He also noticed that the paper he had drawn on was now sliding across the board table towards them. They both stared intently at Andy. One of the men approached him. He was a thin balding man impeccably dressed, who stood five ten, and he eyed Andy carefully.
“What goes on forever?” he asked, looking at Andy intently.
Without thinking he responded, “That which never ends.” Andy didn’t know how he knew the correct answer.
“So, we have a new recruit. You must be a real bad piece of work to join our little group, boy. Tell us about yourself.”
Andy wasn’t stupid; the less they knew the better.
“Age before beauty, gentlemen,” Andy replied, feeling uneasy.
“I’m Duane. I have the job of inquisitor to any prospective business ventures. That muscular six-foot-six tree trunk in rumpled clothing that walked you in is Senior Detective Maleko; he’s protection. That leaves Harvey over there; he takes care of the money.”
Andy wasn’t too sure
